Philadelphia Vireo
Vireo philadelphicus
Small, short-tailed, most similar to Warbling Vireo, but brighter: look for yellow wash on underparts, brightest on throat and undertail, and dark line through the eye that connects to base of bill. Dull individuals can be very difficult to distinguish from Warbling Vireo, but Warbling usually brightest yellow on flanks, not throat. Similar to Red-eyed Vireo but with shorter bill and yellower below. Breeds in deciduous forests, especially areas with younger trees including birches or aspens. Migrates through a variety of wooded and brushy habitats; winters in Central America. Song nearly identical to Red-eyed Vireo. Feeds on insects; especially caterpillars.
Identification
Adults are mainly olive-brown on the upperparts with yellow underparts; they have dark eyes and a grey crown. They have no wing bars and no eye ring. There is a dark line through the eyes and a white stripe just over them. They have thick blue-grey legs and a stout bill. The Philadelphia vireo is similar in appearance to the warbling vireo, but can be reliably distinguished by having much yellower underparts, and dark lores.
Taxonomy
Genus: Vireo; Family: Vireonidae; Order: Passeriformes.
- Scientific name
- Vireo philadelphicus
- Authority
- (Cassin, 1851)
- Order
- Passeriformes
- Family
- Vireonidae
- Genus
- Vireo
Range and habitat
Breeding range: NA : c, s Canada to nc, ne USA. Non-breeding range: MA, nw SA.
- Breeding range
- NA : c, s Canada to nc, ne USA
- Non-breeding range
- MA, nw SA
- Migration
- Complete migrants
Behavior
Migration pattern: Complete migrants.
Conservation
Population trend: rising.
- Population trend
- rising
Photos
Distribution
Bird Calls
Other Birds
Brown Thornbill
Acanthiza pusilla
Small bird with thin pointed bill. Upperparts brown, underparts grayish brown, with dark red eye, reddish-brown forehead, and white throat with dark streaking. Similar Tasmanian Thornbill has longer tail and rufous-brown panel on wings; Inland Thornbill has grayer upperparts, more streaking on the breast, and a longer tail; and Striated Thornbill has more greenish upperparts, thin white streaking in reddish-brown cap, and pale eyebrow. Inhabits a wide variety of shrub habitats, where usually seen in small groups or pairs.
Variable Seedeater
Sporophila corvina
Small seed-eating bird of humid tropical lowlands; fairly common. Found in grassy and weedy areas and forest edges, often in same places as slightly larger Thick-billed Seed-Finch. In pairs or small flocks, mixing readily with Morelet's Seedeaters and other seed-eating birds. Note stubby bill (unlike Thick-billed Seed-Finch) and plain brownish olive plumage of female (not rich brown like seed-finch). Males in Mexico and most of Central America are black. In southern Central America and South America males have variable amounts of white on the underparts and rump, hence the name.
Red-shouldered Cuckooshrike
Campephaga phoenicea
A sleek cuckooshrike in which males and females look strikingly different. Males are entirely black with a red or occasionally yellow-orange shoulder patch. Females have olive-gray upperparts and pale underparts with fine dark barring. Found in lush woodland and cultivation, gallery forest, and along forest edge. Male closely resembles other black male cuckooshrikes, especially Black Cuckooshrike, but note red or yellow-orange (instead of yellow) shoulders. The female closely resembles female Black Cuckooshrike, but is distinguished by its mostly black undertail with yellow edgings. Inconspicuous vocalizations include a “tik” call and a high-pitched, jumbled song.
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